Pyonyang to Seoul: Sanctions mean war

posted at 10:01 am on January 25, 2013 by Ed Morrissey

A day after explicitly threatening the US with its missile and nuke program, North Korea turned its rhetorical sights south. Pyongyang warned South Korea that cooperation in the new round of sanctions after its previous missile test would prompt “strong physical countermeasures,” and would amount to a “declaration of war”:

North Korea continued its barrage of fiery rhetoric Friday, warning South Korea of “strong physical countermeasures” if Seoul takes part in new U.N. sanctions aimed at punishing Pyongyang for a December rocket launch.

“Sanctions mean war and a declaration of war against us,” the Committee for Peaceful Unification of the Fatherland said in a statement carried by North Korea’s official Korean Central News Agency.

Meanwhile, a representative for South Korea’s new president said she would not tolerate North Korean provocations, but would continue to push for dialogue with Pyongyang. A special envoy to President-elect Park Geun-hye made the remarks just hours after the North’s top governing body declared it would continue atomic tests and rocket launches.

In the face of international condemnation, North Korea can usually be counted on for such flights of rhetorical pique. In recent years it threatened to turn South Korea into a “sea of fire,” and to wage a “sacred war” against its enemies.

If the past is any indication, its threats of war are overblown. But the chances it will conduct another nuclear test are high. And it is gaining ground in its missile program, experts say, though still a long way from seriously threatening the U.S. mainland.

“It’s not the first time they’ve made a similar threat of war,” said Ryoo Kihl-jae, a professor at the University of North Korean Studies in Seoul. “What’s more serious than the probability of an attack on South Korea is that of a nuclear test. I see very slim chances of North Korea following through with its threat of war.”

Although North Korea’s leadership is undeniably concerned that it might be attacked or bullied by outside powers, the tough talk is mainly an attempt to bolster its bargaining position in diplomatic negotiations.

That’s certainly been the case so far. Pyongyang usually ramps up the rhetoric when either their internal political situation becomes shaky or they desperately need food and fuel supplies. It’s winter, and it’s not too difficult to imagine that North Korea would be in desperate need of both at the moment, and may be applying pressure to get the UN and the Pacific Rim to back off of sanctions and give the DRPK some humanitarian aid.

Still, that’s an easy conclusion to reach from this far away. ABC News reports from Seoul that they’re understandably a little more concerned that the rhetoric may be reality:

The Kim regime may be still crying wolf, but if they manage to put a nuke on a missile that can actually hit a target, that may change quickly. And they are progressing toward that capability, slowly as Gloria Riviera reports, but demonstrably. Even China seems to be taking this more seriously than in the past, threatening to cut aid to its client state if Kim doesn’t dial it down and return to the six-party talks. Sooner or later, the Kims will stop crying wolf and become the wolf if left unchecked.

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Seems to me that war is going to end this one way or another. Wouldn’t the South Korea’s prefer that it be on their terms and before the Norks get a bunch of functionable, deliverable nukes? But, that’s just me.

Anyone who believes that we could easily smash NorKo is, unfortunately, delusional. NorKo is China’s hand puppet, and no saber is rattled in Pyongyang without Beijing’s permission. Even a sane, patriotic President at the wheel instead of the current squatter, would not dare such confrontation without risking a new Cold War – except this time we’d depend on the enemy’s good graces, not the other way around as it was with the USSR.

Anyone who believes that we could easily smash NorKo is, unfortunately, delusional. NorKo is China’s hand puppet, and no saber is rattled in Pyongyang without Beijing’s permission. Even a sane, patriotic President at the wheel instead of the current squatter, would not dare such confrontation without risking a new Cold War – except this time we’d depend on the enemy’s good graces, not the other way around as it was with the USSR.

Archivarix on January 25, 2013 at 10:34 AM

It seems that the Chinese are getting a little tired of defending their Crazy Uncle known as North Korea. China would bail on North Korea in an instant if they provoked a war with South Korea or the US.

Once they have it, their only option is threaten to use it to get food. And that will most certainly will NOT work.

Jabberwock on January 25, 2013 at 10:48 AM

That’s the problem here – NorK is basically nothing more than a school yard bully threatening everyone to get their lunch money. At some point, China is likely to get tired of backing them up, and then there will be some kind of very sudden change. I seriously doubt China wants a war this time around, as they’ve figured out they can get better longer term control through economics – he!! they own us already.

At some point, China is likely to get tired of backing them up, and then there will be some kind of very sudden change. I seriously doubt China wants a war this time around, as they’ve figured out they can get better longer term control through economics – he!! they own us already.

dentarthurdent on January 25, 2013 at 11:29 AM

Exactly; traitors and idiots mesmerized by peasant labor selling out to the ChiComs has done more to enslave us than the entire Soviet Union ever could’ve dreamed.

Had the USSR somehow managed to actually attempt a land invasion we’d have fought like demons. Had some Marxist loon actually launched missiles, we’d have sent one last strike from the free world and blown them all to hell.

But we sold out to China because business in a land that hasn’t been openly Communist for decades, along with treating workers better than disposable diapers, is just too darn expensive.

Heh. Short war: next time Goofy has one of those Soviet style military circle-jerks in Pyonyang just drop a Daisy Cutter or MOAB in there. All of the Norks who have eaten in the last month will be dead. Walk in and turn off the lights.

Heh. Short war: next time Goofy has one of those Soviet style military circle-jerks in Pyonyang just drop a Daisy Cutter or MOAB in there. All of the Norks who have eaten in the last month will be dead. Walk in and turn off the lights.

Jaibones on January 25, 2013 at 1:09 PM

I like the idea – but we could probably get China to do it for us if we threatened that we might actually get our own federal budget in order – or default on all the T-bills they have.
I know – won’t ever happen, and they’d laugh off the bluff, but what the he!!, it might be worth a try…..

Directly or indirectly we still supply aid to North Korea. Look at the reality of this they have limited resources.
Instead of spending those resources on infrastructure. WE do that.
This allows North Korea to develop Nuclear Weapons and ICBM missiles. Why does North Korea do this? Simple! For export and cash flow. They develop and manufacture the weapons and sell to the highest bidder.
By providing “Humanitarian help” we are removing the “GUNS or BUTTER” concerns and allowing the North to develop and to proliferate Weapons of Mass Destruction to all terrorist groups world wide.